Astoria Park Resumes

"And I, a woman such as you. I do not recall ever making love with such passion."

"Your wife did not respond to you?"

"She did at first, but after my second daughter was born, it was as if she had done her duty by me and condescended to lay and accept me. It was most trying for me to perform under those circumstances."

"You shall not have that from me."

"Are you suggesting that we should become lovers?"

"I am suggesting that we should, and after a proper period I will accept your proposal of marriage."

"My you are a forward wench, are you not? I do concede that this notion of our future has some considerable merit. Will you, after a suitable time, consent to be my bride?"

"I will sire. Make love to me once more before I must return to my father's house. Will you dine with us tomorrow?"

"Why, most certainly madam."

Elizabeth hitched her skirts up, straddled William and began to ride the cockhorse.

"Do you not wish to clean yourself before returning home?" William asked as she moved to the door.

"No, I will enjoy walking through the streets and feeling you oozing down my legs. If people only knew, they would be shocked." She said with a wicked smile on her face.

"He's hooked". Elizabeth said to her 'father'. "He is even willing to marry me."

"I knew that you could do it, my Dear. Come here and give me a kiss." The kiss that Elizabeth gave him was not the kind that a daughter would give a father.

o - 0 - o

"My plan," Priscilla began. She was in the office of her local member of parliament. "Is that, when the railway is extended further west across to Narrandera, that a siding be built where it passes by Astoria Park. In return for this consideration, we will build, at our own expense, a village and grain storage. Trains can be shunted onto the siding, and the farmers can load their wheat and wool at their leisure. The transport time and cost will be reduced as much greater quantities can be shipped at the same time, rather than the present system of many smaller loads moving at a slower pace."

"How do you know that the railway will be built adjacent to your property?"

"It is the logical place to put it, relatively flat terrain and there is permanent water close by where the locomotives can replenish their tenders. You may even consider a coal bunker on that site as well so that the locomotives can refuel at the same time."

"You seem to be very conversant with this subject."

"My father was a construction engineer on the railways back in England. I learnt a lot from him."

"I will speak with the relevant persons. I must say that I think that your proposal does have some merit. The only problem that I can foresee is that you are a woman. I feel that it will be taken more seriously if it appeared to come from a man."

"A man such as yourself?"

"Now that you mention it, yes."

"I have here my proposal, all set out in the hand of my Overseer, Ben Robinson. He has put it very clearly."

"Then why is he not here with you today?"

"Because, apart from having another appointment at this time, he is not confident that he can speak to this proposal to an important man such as yourself."

o - 0 - o

"Well, how did you get on with Henry?" Priscilla asked Ben when she had returned to Meg's house.

"I have convinced him to honour his promise to pay on delivery to the docks on the river. He will risk that the transport down the Murray River to Goolwa and then by train to Port Elliott. Once on the ship, the responsibility for delivery is on the ship's owner, and he is to see that it is fully insured. He did insist on a thirty-day payment schedule. I didn't much like this, but he told me that it was a busy time for him and there was a lot of wool coming in and farmers wanting their money immediately. Because their monies are on a cash when sold basis, and that there was a delay caused by the shipping time and the time taken for the money to come back here, at least six months, his customers sometimes needed a partial payment in advance of the sale. Our payment is dependent on a surplus from the previous season's clip."

"I will speak to the bank. I cannot see that to be a problem."

"How did you go with old Septimus?"

"He thinks it a good proposal. He did raise the matter of me being a woman and suggested that he should be the person to put the proposal to the relevant people. He was disappointed when I presented him with 'your' proposal."

"His moment of glory snatched from his very grasp."

o - 0 - o

"Mother, Ben, I have a request." Elizabeth said as she entered the room.

"What is it?"

"Laurence is being ordained as a priest, and he has asked me to attend the ceremony. He wants to introduce me to his parents. I told him that you were here, and he suggested that it would be a good time to meet you. I explained your position with Ben, and he said that this would not present a problem for him. He knows about Father, I had to tell him, and he will present Ben as the man that you plan to marry after the seven-year wait until Father has been declared dead."

"When is this ceremony?"

"It is this afternoon at two o'clock."

An elegant, yet conservatively dressed Elizabeth, wearing clothes that she would not have even considered six months ago, led Priscilla and Ben into the Church of England church where the consecration service was to be held. Laurence excused himself from his parents and walked over to them. He kissed Elizabeth warmly on the lips. "Thank you for coming my Dear, and this young lady could not possibly be your mother." He bowed over Priscilla's hand, "And this must be the Ben that I have been hearing about. I am pleased that you could accompany Elizabeth to this celebration."

"We are pleased to meet the man that has made such a wondrous change to our daughter." Priscilla had deliberately chosen to assign Elizabeth's parentage to Ben.

"Come, I want to introduce my parents to the woman that I plan to ask to be my wife."

"What?" This was obviously the first that Elizabeth knew of his plans. "You have not mentioned this to me, not even hinted on it."

"But you will accept, won't you?"

"Yes, of course, I will." She said without hesitation.

Laurence led them to his parents. "Father, Mother, this is Elizabeth, the young lady that I have been boring you about, and these are her parents, Ben, Priscilla, these are my parents, Tom and Sarah Fielding."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Elizabeth has not stopped talking about your son." Ben held out his hand and having noticed that Laurence had bestowed on him the parental role, supported this subterfuge.

Introductions complete, Laurence made his announcement to his parents. "This is a propitious day for me, for not only am I to realise my ambitions by becoming a Priest, but Elizabeth has consented to be my wife."

"You do realise that the life that you have chosen will not be one of luxury and ease, don't you?" Tom Fielding addressed his question to Elizabeth.

"I have experienced such a life, and I am ready to turn my back on it if I am to be with Laurence." She put her arm around him and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Laurence was called to prepare for his ordination.

Following the ceremony, he joined them once more. "I am to be a Priest in this church for the next year, and then, if I satisfy the church that I am suitable for the task, I will be offered my own Parish, probably in the country somewhere."

"We can hope that it will be close to Astoria Park so that the two of you can visit us." Priscilla said.

"I shall look forward to that if it is to be." Laurence said.

-o-0-o-

Priscilla and Ben had one further appointment to make. The row houses were small, facing onto a narrow street. "I don't like this at all." Elizabeth said as they approached the address that Wills had given them. Ben knocked on the door and Mary opened it to allow them to enter. It might have been small, a single bedroom at the front with a sitting room on the other side of the central hallway, with a large kitchen and dining room across the back of the house. There was a laundry with a wood-fired copper for boiling clothes and linen, and a wash trough. Water had to be drawn from a tank in the back yard. There was a privy in the corner that backed onto a laneway.

While it was small, it was spotlessly clean. Mary wiped her hands on her apron and told them to take a seat at the table. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked.

"If it is no bother, yes, thank you. How are you?"

"We are doing well. Wills is doing well in his employment, Mr Thompson is giving him more responsibility, and his wage has increased, we are looking for larger accommodation, we will soon need it." She said, running her hands down her front to emphasise the fact that she was beginning to show.

"That's wonderful news," Priscilla said as she stood and gave Mary a hug. "I hope that Wills is pleased with the news."

"He couldn't be happier. He is going to be such a good father. He will be home shortly, will you stay awhile?"

"Yes, we need to see him before we return to Astoria Park."

"I am sorry that I cannot offer you a cake or anything like that. We eat plain, but well, no luxuries for us."

A short time later the front door opened and Wills entered. He went immediately to Mary and took her in his arms and kissed her passionately on her lips. It was only then that he realised that they had company. "Hello Mother, Ben, it is great to see you. Has Mary told you the news?" He said running his hand over her belly.

"Yes, and congratulations," Priscilla said as she gave him a hug. Ben offered him his hand. "We need to talk to you, both of you."

"I hope that it is not bad news." Wills said cautiously.

"No, it is good news. We have decided to help you in some small way, in your quest for better accommodation. Will you allow that?"

"No. It is kind of you to offer, but I have to say no. We have spoken of just this, and have decided that for me to make it in this world that I have chosen, we have to do it on our own. We do not expect you to help us, we will not allow it."

"We understand and commend your decision. However, if in the future you find that you need some assistance, do not feel inclined to deny us the opportunity to render such assistance."

"I will remember that. What news of Astoria Park? Have you spoken with Elizabeth for we have not."

"Things are looking very good for Astoria Park, and as for Elizabeth, she is to be wed."

"Who too, not that Roderick Hamilton chap that she was seeing?"

"No, she is to wed a clergyman."

"What? I don't believe this, my sister who would not look at a man unless he had a substantial income or inheritance, marrying a clergyman?"

"It is true, we have just come from his ordination. They are happy together and she will make a good Priest's wife."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Why do you not go to the church on Sunday and hear him preach his first sermon? You can speak to your sister and meet her betrothed at the same time."

"Yes let us go, please," Mary said. "We can talk with him about marrying us."

Wills and Mary accompanied Priscilla and Ben to Meg's house. "Look who we have brought with us to have dinner." Priss announced as they entered the house.

"Wills and this must be Mary that we have heard so many good things about. Come in and be seated." Meg said, indicating a large sofa. "Elizabeth is dining with her fiancé's family this evening. I must say that her news came as a surprise to me."

"It did to her as well. Today was the first time that she was aware of his plans for them. He is a good man and she will be good for him."

-o-0-o-

The cathedral was packed with invited guests. John Rycroft was sparing no expense on the wedding of his daughter Elizabeth to Sir William Langtry. This marriage will cement the partnership between both men, and ensure that they, at the very least he, both become even wealthier.

He walked the length of the centre aisle with a radiant Elizabeth on his arm. She smiled at the guests as she walked slowly to the altar. This was her day, and not before time, for she was with child, although whose child it was she was unsure. It could be that of William, which she hoped that it was, or the bastard child of the man known to all as her father."

The Priest had reached that point in the marriage ceremony when he has to ask that question; "Is there any among you that knows of any cause why this man and this woman should not be joined in holy matrimony?" This had almost become a redundant question. "If so, speak up now, or forevermore hold your peace."

"I have reason." A voice came from the rear of the congregation. A gasp came from all of those people present.

"Who are you sir, and what reason can you give?" The Priest asked.

"I have two reasons." The man said as he walked to the altar. "The first is that this man is not free to marry. His real name is Sir William Astor, and he has a wife in New South Wales. Secondly, sir, I have here a warrant for his arrest. He is wanted in Sydney Town on a charge of murder." There were more, and louder, gasps from the congregation. "The brutal murder of his mistress, one Juliana Langtry."

Henry Bannock smiled from the back of the congregation, he would soon be even richer.

-o-0-o-

Isobel and Jimmy were seated at the dining table going over the plans for the coming season. There was the winter planting to organise, and the shearing gangs to arrange. There was a knock on the door and Mrs Wilson entered. "There is a man to see you, Miss."

"Well send him in."

A thick-set man came in. "I be Thomas Burgess miss, I'm here about the shearing."

"Yes, we've been meaning to call on you about that. What we propose is that you should begin in a month's time." She got straight down to business, no pleasantries were exchanged. "How many shearers are there in your gang?"

"Twenty miss, plus the roustabouts and the classers, that's thirty in all."

"Good, how long will it take you to shear thirty thousand sheep?"

"I figure around two weeks, providing your cook doesn't poison the crew with her cooking."

"Good. We are offering the same price per sheep as last year."

"I was thinking that we should get more."

"No, we will pay no more. But what we are offering is that you will be paid when the last sheep is pushed down the race. You will not have to wait for payment, which means that you can pay the men straight away."

"What, and have them piss it all up at the nearest pub. Sorry, Miss."

"When you pay them is entirely up to you. What I am telling you is that we will pay you on completion. Take it or leave it."

"You drive a hard bargain, Miss, I'll say that for you. I agree to terms, and we'll keep our part of the bargain, as long as you keep yours." He held out his hand and Isobel shook it.

-o-0-o-

"You have both done well," Priscilla said as Isobel and Jimmy related what had happened in her absence. "I am sure that William could not have done as well, even if he wanted to."

"We have hired a shearing gang for the clip. We have them at the same price as last season."

"And they accepted that? I would have been prepared to accept a small increase. How did you manage that?"

"There is one promise that we have to keep, and that is the gang gets paid on completion. We have been going over the books and we have enough for that, but we will need to sell the fleece quickly so that we have enough money for the winter sewing."

"That is not a problem. We have arranged for payment on delivery to the docks."

"But how? Why would Henry agree to that?"

"He has arranged the sale of our entire clip to a woollen mill in England, and they are prepared to pay on delivery. He is so certain of this that he is prepared to wait for payment for however long it takes for the fleece to reach England and to the speedy transfer of money."

"But he has always made us to wait for the sale. The first shipment is sold quickly, but we usually have to wait until almost the next season for the remainder."

"I don't know what he has arranged with the mill, and I don't really care, just as long as we gets our money." Ben said.

-o-0-o-

Henry had indeed made arrangements with John Rycroft that effectively cut out his partner. In the weeks before his impending nuptials, Sir William was blissfully unaware that his agent had gone behind his back. Sir William had other things on his mind, his wife to be had an insatiable appetite for sex. For weeks he had been kept on the brink of physical and mental exhaustion by her constant demands for more and more sex, he could think of nothing else.

Elizabeth had planned it that way. John wanted her to keep him so occupied that he would go ahead with the marriage, and pay little attention to the fact that he would be unlikely to receive any payment for the fleece he was providing to the mill. Henry had told him all about the reason why William had to flee from Sydney Town. It was unfortunate that Elizabeth would once again be a widow, this time with an unborn child, but he would step in and take care of her and Sir William's child. He would apply for probate in her favour.

-o-0-o-

Sir William Astor should have been enjoying his honeymoon in the arms of his beautiful bride. Unfortunately, fortune had not favoured him. He had thought that no-one would know where he was and that he could begin a new life in a new place. His last sight of the woman that had almost become his bride was of her being comforted by her father.

John Rycroft had little time to savour his impending good fortune. Henry Bannock had been too hasty, he had not, waited as planned until the Register had been signed. John cursed his misfortune, for entrusting such a simple task to this Colonial yokel. Now he would be unable to present to the Executor of William's estate, the Marriage Certificate that legalised the union. He was less than happy when he was presented with the account for the shipment of fleece.

-o-0-o-

"Sir William Astor," The be-robed and bewigged Judge placed the black cloth onto his head and peered down from the Old Bailey bench at the dishevelled prisoner standing in the dock. "You have been found guilty of the murder of Juliana Langtry, in Sydney Town in the Crown Colony of New South Wales. You will be taken from here to Newgate prison, where you will be detained, until the day that you are taken to the place of execution, where you will hanged by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul. Take him down!" He ordered the Bailiff.

William turned and was led down the steps on the first part of his final journey. "At least," He thought, "I don't have to suffer the indignity of the journey by cart to Tyburn and the public gallows."

-o-0-o-

It was the day before William was to take his final walk the gallows. He heard the guard talking to someone, "Thar he be, cowering in yon corner." William looked to see Henry standing at the bars.

"You, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you hang."

"But why? What have I ever done to you?"

"You have murdered my daughter."

"Juliana, your daughter. How is it that I did not know this? When I first met her I took her to be a maidservant in your house."

"That was what we chose to have you believe. It suited our purpose.

William's mind went back to his meeting with Juliana. As she bent to serve Henry William was treated to an uninterrupted look down the top of her blouse. He felt a stirring in his loins that only got worse when she served him. As she stood beside him her body was pressed against his. On an impulse, his hand slipped beneath her skirt and slid up the inside of her leg until it could go no further. She did nothing to dissuade his advances.

The next time she served him, he once again slid his hand beneath her skirts. This time his hand was not prevented from reaching its goal by undergarments, for she had removed them while in the kitchen. As his fingers reached her vagina she moved her legs apart to allow him access. His fingers fully penetrated inside her. He was unaware of the smile that passed between Henry and his maid.